New Chinese agency set up for high-tech weapons development

Revealed for first time this week, new military body to promote "civilian-military integration"

During the seventh installment of CCTV’s sweeping Carry Through the Reform documentary being aired this week, it was revealed that a new military agency aimed at promoting scientific innovation was established earlier this year.

The body, dubbed the Scientific Research Steering Committee, will have a broader focus than the Military-Civil Integration Development Commission set up by Xi Jinping earlier this year. According to defense ministry spokesperson Wu Qian, the group will help manage strategy for scientific development, while coordinating “civilian-military integration,” or cooperation with private sector contractors.

The documentary highlighted the role the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has played in the development of technologies such as the internet, GPS, stealth aircraft and lasers, saying “if we are going to take the initiative in military competition, we must more vigorously promote a technologically advanced military.